Independent inside valve-drive for steam-engines.



R. EATON & G. L. KEITH. INDEPENDENT INSIDE VALVE DRIVE FOR sTBAMENGINBs. APPLICATION FILED APB.9, 1908.

1,039,037, Patented Sept. 17,1912.

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4 I I g g fi w N ATTORNEY.

ITNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT EATON AND GEORGE L- KEITI-I, OF LAKE CITY, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOBS TO GILLETT 8a EATON, OF LAKE CITY, MINNESOTA, COP'ARTNERS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

Application filed. April 9, 1908. Serial No. 426,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT EATON and GEORGE L. KEITH, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Lake City, in the county of WVabasha and State of Minnesota, have invented certain Improvements in Independent Inside Valve-Drives for Steam- Engines, More Especially Steam-- boat-Engines.

Heretofore valves have been driven by eccentrics, or cams, on the engine shaft and, in case of stern wheel steam boat engines, the wheel shaft at the stern of the boat. When located on the wheel shaft the cam, or eccentric rods being exposed, are frequently broken or disabled by debris, ropes, etc., carried up by the wheel, thus disabling the boat, and further it is difficult to get at the mechanism for oiling, repairs, etc., and further is more liable to wear from sand and rit.

The object of our invention is to avoid all the afore-named disadvantages by placing the mechanism entirely inside the engine room where it is protected and is also easily accessible for maintenance, oiling, cleaning, etc.

We have illustrated our improved valve drive by means of the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure (1) is a side view of one arrangement of our device, showing the method of attaching the essential parts. Fig. (2) is a plan of the same. This arrangement is used for driving a valve, which for its proper movement must reach its extreme point of travel when the engine crank is on the quarter. Fig. (3) is a side view of another arrangement of our valve drive, and Fig. (4) is a plan of the same. This arrangement is used for driving a valve, which for its proper movement must reach its extreme point of travel when the engine crank is on the center. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of the rod 4: and the sliding box. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is a detail elevation of the rod 9 and the sliding box 10. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring further to the drawing for detailed description of the operative parts and their connections, the numeral 1 designates the engine pitman, with the crank 2, as usually arranged on an engine.

The numeral 3, is a pivotal box or connection preferably attached to the pitman as shown.

The numeral 4, designates the drive rod on which the box or connection 3 slides. The rod l, is preferably pivoted by being attached to rock shaft 5, but may be pivoted at any other suitable point. It is not necessary that the drive rod 4 should be parallel in any respect with the center line of the engine, in fact it may be curved as shown in Fig. 3, numeral 9 and hereinafter more particularly described.

The movement of pitman 1, and with it the pivotal box 3 up and down as the wheel shaft revolves, gives a forwardand backward motion to valve rod 7, which in turn operates the valve, viz., the extreme upward point of travel of pitman giving the forward point of travel to the valve rod 7 the ex-.

treme lower point of travel of pitman giving the after point of travel to valve rod 7.

In Fig. 3, the pivotal box 10 is attached to the cross head 6, but may be attached to pitman 1, and give practically the same re sultant valve motion.

It will be seen by Fig. 3, that the curve drive rod 9 is at its lowest point of motion with the result that valve rod 11 is at its extreme point of travel to the right, the crank being on the inner center. It will be noted thatthe cross heads 6 in all the devices is provided with the rearwardly extending piston rod and that the said cross heads are adapted to slide upon the usual engine bed. The dotted lines show curved drive rod 9 and valve rod 11 with the crank in the opposite position.

We are aware that patents have been granted for inside valve drives taking the motion from the pitman. We therefore do not claim broadly the use of the pitman for driving valves. The box or connection slides each comprise a pair of members as clearly illustrated in the several figures of the drawing. One of these members is adapted to be secured to the pitman and to project a suitable distance therefrom. The second member is pivoted at a right angular plane to the first member so that the said second member is free to swing upon the first member and thus facilitating the operation of the resilient rod 4. These have all, as far as our search could be extended, had the slide attached to the pitman, the pivotal box 3 being attached'to the end of a lever, o have also failed to find any instance of a curved rod as ourvalve drive'rod 9 Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, being used.

What we do claim for our invention and desire to secure byLetters Patent is The combination with a steam engine having the usual crank shaft, crank arm, pitman, cross head and guide bars therefor, valve stem, and piston rod, of a rocker arm pivotally mounted in a bearing situated upon the engine frame adjacent the inner end of the guide bars, the upper end of said rocker arm being pivotally connected to the valve stem, said rocker arm provided intermediate of its ends with a transverse opening, a cylindrical rod adapted to have one of its ends mounted in said rocker arm opening ,so that it will extend longitudinally with respect to the pitman, a support rigidly .fastened to the upper surface of the pitman at a point intermediate of its length and having a horizontal opening therein extending transversely with respect to the lon- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing gitudinal axis of the pitman, aswiveled b0x- H support the free end of said rod so that the rod will be in a horizontal position when the crank arm of the engine is on dead cen ter, and said boxing being adapted to slide upon the said rod so that when the crank end of the pitman moves into either a downward or upward position the free end of the rod will be depressed or elevated thus imparting through the medium of the rocker arm reciprocating motion to the valve stem.

In Witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names at Lake City, Minn, this 6th day of April A. D. 1908.

ROBT. EATON. GEOR GE L. KEITH.

In presence of-'.-

GEORGE H. HAMMOND, O. BEOKMAN.

the f Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

